13 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Venice

Welcome to SILHO – the global playground for lifestyle entrepreneurs. Today, we are going to talk about an exclusive destination, which has always been a favorite among the rich and the famous.

There are thousands of wonderful vacation destinations around the world, but only a few that are really elite. One of those extra special locations in the beautiful city of Venice. It is located in northern Italy and is famous because it is the only city that is built on water. With canals crisscrossing through every part of it, Venice is an ancient city with a most interesting history.

Here are 13 fun facts you should know about Venice…

If you love art and architecture, then there is no place better than Venice for your next break. Venice is fondly referred by many names, including the Queen of Adriatic, City of Water, and City of Masks – just to name a few.

Venice Simplon Orient Express.  When thinking about traveling to Venice what better way to travel in style and luxury, then to book a journey on the Venice Simplon Orient Express train. You can start your journey from London to Paris and travel to Venice through the Swiss Alps for approximately $6,000 for a couple. Offering delightful vintage cabins, five-star cuisine, delicious afternoon teas and scrumptious four-course dinners; add to that lively onboard entertainment, will definitely make your journey one of the world’s finest travel experiences.

So now you know how to get to Venice in style. But wait, do you know there are no cars or automobiles in the whole city? Yes, that is right because the whole city is surrounded with water so you will need to ride a gondola to get anywhere in Venice. Which brings us to our next point.

Island Life.  The city of Venice is made of 117 small man-made islands. All of the islands are connected one to the other by over 400 incredible bridges, with canals roughly dividing the city into six districts. Of them, San Marco is probably the most popular one, mostly because it has the main tourist attractions. Its streets are filled with luxury designer and souvenir shops and luxury hotels.

Riding in a Gondola.  Taking a trip to Venice and failing to ride a gondola is like going to France and ignoring the Eiffel Tower. It is interesting to know that there are only four gondolier licenses given per year, and there are only around 400 licensed gondolas in operation. And if you spend 80 Euros, you can also go on a gondola ride, but if you are taking someone special with you then it is worth noting that according to Venetian tradition, the couple riding in a gondola, should kiss under each bridge and they will stay in love forever. 

Carnevale di Venezia. One of the biggest local celebrations in Venice is the Carnival of Venice, which lasts two to three weeks. It began in 1094 as a public celebration to honor the days preceding Lent. These days the carnival lasted 10 days still in the Pre-Easter period.

The special thing about this Carnival is that people wear all sorts of masks and costumes as part of the festivities. There are also a lot of masked parties throughout different parts of the city. The Venetian people see masks as a symbol of equality and mystery. They can hide their identities and pretend to be whoever they want. By the way, if you’d like to know the price of the most expensive Venetian mask, then keep on reading. 

Unmasked and Unnerved.  The most expensive Venetian mask in the world cost a whopping $250,000. It’s a one of a kind custom-made mask made of a large sunburst headpiece, embellished with crystals. The Beads and Regal crown is up for auction and all the proceeds will go to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This mask is hand-painted by three renowned Venetian artists and is made of 24 karat gold, and has 100 grams of platinum some pieces and five one carat Canadian diamonds. 

Secret luxury spots along the Grand Canal of Venice. The Grand Canal not only connects most of Venice’s top tourist attractions, it is one of its top attractions, curving in a reverse “S” through the heart of the city. It is also Venice’s main high street bustling with traffic. A lot of luxury hotels are located along the Grand Canal: some high-end ones being Hotel Cipriani, The Gritti Palace, and Hotel Danieli. The two which are loved by celebrities are The Gritti Palace and Hotel Aman Canal Grande. And since SILHO is all about providing the best and luxury, we’re going to tell you more about what makes Hotel Aman Canal Grande so special.

Situated on the Grand Canal, this is the luxury hotel the Clooneys opted to spend their wedding night.  The 16th century Grand Canal side Palazzo, has a roof terrace, spa, gym, bar, library, and a dining room serving Thai and Italian cuisines. Rates start from 1300 dollars per night.

Venice Film Festival. Ever since the Venice Film Festival, the oldest Film Festival in the world, debuted in 1932, this enchanting city has become a magnet in the entertainment industry. A-listers flock to the famous canals to shoot films, get married, and vacate.

The most romantic suite in Venice for Valentine’s Day. Everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have stayed here in the past. The hotel’s top accommodation literally is the top floor. Redentore Terrazza Suite can be booked from about 16,200 Euros per night. Upon entering this exclusive suite, you will walk into a living room adorned with polished terrazzo floors and frescoed walls leading to a cozy bedroom. Or handwoven rugs stretched over parquet floors and Venetian mirrors covering silk Damascus walls. You can climb the spiral staircase to which the suites 2,700 square foot rooftop terrace and private swimming pool with 360-degree views of the city and Grand Canal and have to Valentine’s you won’t soon forget. 

Get lost in your own adventure.  Did you know it’s impossible to find an address in Venice? If you have friends who have already been to Venice, then they would have certainly told you a story about how they got lost there and had a great time finding their way back to their hotel. This is very common in Venice because the houses are numbered according to the districts, not the streets. Even local postmen get confused. The easiest way to find your way is to orient yourself based on your proximity of a monument, shop, or famous building. 

The narrowest street in the world is in Venice. Colletta Varisco and is located on a side street near Campo San Cassiano. It measures only 53 centimeters wide at the chess level. 

Venice is sinking.  The water levels in Venice are constantly rising due to global warming. It’s actually sinking five times faster than initially thought.  Some people believe Venice will totally disappear by 2030. But a collection of civil and ecological experts are already working on flood plans to reverse this. 

Test your luck. Casino di Venezia, known to be the oldest Casino in the world, it has been operating since 1638.  This casino offers separate rooms for French and American games and contains over 600 slot machines. 

Breaking tradition in a major way.  Did you know the first female gondolier received her license in 2010, ending 900 years of tradition of appointing only male gondoliers. She will still be required to don the traditional white and blue striped shirt, black trousers and matching shoes.

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